Electromechanical transducer



March 7, 1961 c. A. ROSEN ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER Original Filed June 29. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CHARLES A. ROSEN,

BY Q W HIS ATTORNEY.

March 7, 1961 c. A. ROSEN 2,974,296

ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER Original Filed June 29. 1954 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOAD l I/%H\\ /%IWI,

LOAD FIG]. e3

Wyflzwwzllwyilm LOAD INVENT OR CHARLES A.ROSEN,

BY @VW HIS ATTORNEY.

March 7, 1961 c. A. ROSEN 2,974,296

ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER Original Filed June 29. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGS E FIG.9

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LOAD -9 INVENTORI CHARLES A. ROSEN,

B'Y HI ATTORNEY.

United States Patent ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER Charles A. Rosen, -Menlo Park, cans, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. N 524,221, July 25, 1955, which is a division of application Ser. No. 439,992, June 29, 1954, now Patent No. 2,830,274, dated Apr. 8, 1958. This application May 26, 1959, Ser. No. 816,010

19 Claims. (Cl. 333-72) The present invention relates to electromechanical transducers for alternating current waves and has as an object thereof to provide a piezo-electric transformer. The present application is a continuation .of US. application, Serial No. 524,221, filed July 25, 1955, which is a division of U.S. Patent 2,830,274, granted April .8, 1958, based upon application, Serial No. 439,992, filed June 29, 1954. The present application treats further refinements in certain transducers first disclosed in application Serial Number 401,812, now abandoned, entitled Electromechanical Transducer, filed January 4, 1954, in the name of Charles A. Rosen and Keith A. Fish, which transducers are the subject matter of a divisional application Serial Number 486,853, now abandoned, filed February 8, 1955, Charles A. Rosen, said divisional application being a division of application Serial Number 401,812.

The term piezo-electric transformer is here applied to a passive electrical energy transfer device or transducer employing the piezo-electn'c properties of a material to achieve a transformation of voltage or current or impedance. In structure, a piezo-electric transformer includes a body of piezo-electric material, having electrodes applied to the body for the removal of the potentials developed in the body upon the application of input potentials.

The piezo-electric transformer herein treated is of wide application in electrical circuits, providing both advantageous selectivity and large transformation ratios. The piezo-eleotric transformer may consequently be employed in band pass circuits, in high voltage supplies in which an alternating current voltage is transformed to a high value and subsequently rectified, and in many other applications.

The operation of a piezo-electric transformer may be characterized as a two or three step process involving an initial piezo-electric conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy followed bya reconversion of the mechanical energy back into electrical energy. It is also possible to consider the transfer of mechanical energy from a first region of the piezoelectric body cooperating with the input electrodes of the transformer to a second region of the .piezo-electric body cooperating with the output electrodes of the transformer as a third and intermediate step in the process of operation. This latter view appears to be moresusceptible .of mathematical treat ment and to correspond more closely with observed re sults in certain transformer configurations.

The mechanical .energy referred to is in the form of vibrational energy which corresponds to certain resonant modes of vibration of the piezo-electric body. Utilization of a resonant piezo-electn'c body enhances the transformation ratios and the elficicncy of transformation. In

utilizing a resonant piezo-electric workpiece, the inven-,

tion applies certain well established principles of piezoelectri'city. .An introduction into such, matters maysbe had intan article appearing in the Proceedings-of the ;ln-

ond region in Whichthe EQQ stitute of Radio Engineers of 1930, volume 18, pages 862 through 893, by Y. Watanabe, entitled, Piezo-Electric Resonators in High Frequency Oscillation Circuits. Certain early piezo-electric couplers employing resonant piezo-electric bodies are described in Piezo-electricity by W. G. Cady, section 500, pages 667 to 669. Such piezo-electric devices were characterized by highselectivity and transformation ratios which, in the ideal case, could be no higher than unity as losses were minimized.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a piezo-electric transformer.

it is another object of the present invention to provide a piezoelectric transformer which is capable of substantial transformation ratios.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a piezo-electric transformer which may be easily and inexpensively produced.

The invention is of general application, and may be used in a'number of advantageous embodiments. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved piezo-electric transformer filtering device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a piezo-electric transformer of substantial voltage amplification and high voltage capabilities for the production of high voltages.

These and other objects are achieved in a novel energy transfer device employing a piezo-electric body having a resonant mode at a predetermined frequency by the ad vantageous placement of input and output electrodes upon the piezo-electric body. In accordance with the present invention, advantage is taken of the fact that excitation of a desired mode of vibration maybe accomplished by electrodes energized by periodic voltages corresponding to the frequency of the desired mode and, subject only tothe restriction of the rules developed herein, that a relatively large amount of freedom may be exercised in the placement of these electrodes, while still continuting the excitation of the aforementioned mode, the effect of varying electrode placements being to change the amplitude of vibration of the fundamental mode that a given applied voltage will occasion. The mode of vibration or periodic stress pattern, induced in the piezo-electric body, by virtue of the reverse piezoelectric properties of the material, is accompanied by a periodic electric field pattern having an intensity proportional to the strain pattern. Any portion of the field may then be coupled to output electrodes for the development of an output voltage whose magnitude is dependent on the integral of the portion of the field coupled.

Accordingly, the present invention teaches that by the advantageous placement of input and output electrodes upon the piezo-electric body of the transformer, anlelectrical transformation may be accomplished.

Further advantages are achieved by theuse of certain ferro-electricmaterials which maybe readily polarized in whole or in part in a number of orientations, subsequent to shaping of the piezo-electric member, thereby permitting the most elfective configurations to be easilycarried out. Y e

Additional advantages may be achieved by certain'con figurations which give high voltage transformationratios. Such an advantageous configuration is that in which a long thin piezoelectric member is provided with two regions' of polarizationg'ajfirst region wherein the plaheof polarizationis parallel to the thin dimensionandased.

plane of polarization is" parallel to the large dimension. I .:'I -he features of-fthe itself together with Patented Mar. 7, 19b

I invention desiredito" be protected are"pointed; out;in the appended claims. a The invention its further. objects and advantages will be best understood by reference to the following specification when taken in connection with the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a piezo-electnic transformer embodying the invention having a tubular piezo-electric body of continuous polarization. A graph is included in Fig. 1 to illustrate the mode of vibration of this piezo-electric transformer;

Fig. 2 is a graph illustrating the effect of electrode placement upon the transformation ratio of the piezoelectric transformer illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a piezo-electric transformer embodying the invention having a thin rectangular piezo-electric body in which a central region is transversely polarized with respect to the outer regions;

Fig. 4 is a graph illustrating the effect of the width of the central region of transverse polarization upon the transformation ratio; Fig. 5 illustrates another piezo-electric transformer according to the invention, in. which a thin rectangular piezoelectric body is employed having at one side thereof a transversely polarized region;

Fig. 6 illustrates a piezo-electric transformer employing a tubular body in which the central region is radially polarized; V

Fig. 7 illustrates a piezo-electric transformer employing tubular piezo-electric body of continuous polarization, the length of the piezo-electric member being chosen to be of approximately one quarter wave length;

Fig. 8 shows a piezo-electric transformer employing a piezo-electric body of disk shape having a central region which is transversely polarized with respect to the outer region;

Fig. 9 illustrates a piezoelectric transformer in which a ring shaped piezo-electrie body is employed having regions which are transversely polarized with respect to one another; and

Fig. 10 illustrates another piezo-electric transformer in which an incomplete ring shaped piezo-electric body is employed, the body having two regions which are transversely polarized with respect to one another.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention. At 1 is shown a piezoelectric transformer comprising a body 2 of elongated tubular construction having relatively thin walls. The body 2 is of ferro-electric material, such as barium titanate. The body 2 is polarized longitudinally in a directiongenerally indicated by the arrows 3. Electrodes for the transformer 1 are shown at 4, 5, 6 and 7. These electrodes consist of a narrow band of conductive material coated upon the outer surface of the body 27in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 2 and completely encircling it. For convenience in describing the position of the electrode 4, 5, 6, and 7, with respect to the longitudinal axis 8, of the body 2, the positioning of these electrodes is projected perpendicularly upon a line 9 which we shall term theX axis. The longitudinal and geometrical center 10 of the body2 is then projected upon the line 9 at the point 11 which is assigned an X coordinate value of zero. The electrodes 4 and 5 take respectively positions represented upon the line 9 by X and X while theelectrodes 6 and 7, which are placed at the ends of the body, take respectively the positions L representing the length amazes flexible, and the junctions 13 and 14 may be small drops of solder deposited on the surface of the electrodes 4 and 5 respectively, by which the fine connecting wires may be secured. An electrical load device 15 is shown having connections coupled respectively to the electrodes 6 and 7 at the junctions 16 and 17 The wires coupling the load 15 and the junctions 16 and 17 should be of similar construction to the wires and junctions by which the source 12 is coupled.

The longitudinal dimensions of the body 2 and the positioning of the electrodes 4, 5, 6 and 7 are determinative respectively of the frequency of operation of the transformer and the transformation ratio of the transformer. In the configuration shown, the electrodes 4 and 5 are oriented to excite the body 2 in a generally longitudinal pattern. The manner of achieving excitation will be treated subsequently. In exciting the body 2 in a longitudinal mode, a natural mode'of vibration for the body 2 is with antinodes occurring at either end since both ends are unconstrained and a nodal region occurring at the mid-sections. These boundary conditions restrict the frequencies of vibration of the body in a longitudinal mode to a limited number of frequencies which can be calculated when the longitudinal elastic properties and density of the body 2 are known. These frequencies of vibration are said to be harmonically related to the one fundamental frequency when the length is large. relative to the other dimensions. In the present embodiment, vibrations in the fundamental mode is illustrated, and the frequency at which this mode occurs may be calculated in the manner discussed in connection with Fig. 5. A graph of the longitudinal particle displacement plotted against the position of the particle along the X axis is shown by;

and 5 are placed at Xcoordinates having elongations of intermediate values and of equal magnitude. If one assumes free resonance in the fundamental mode in a material having perfect elastic properties, the curve 16 is sinusoidal to either side of the zero-X coordinate.

The operation of the piezo-electric transformer may now be considered under the influence of applied potentials having a frequency equal to the frequency of vibra-- 7 tion of the body 2 in the fundamental mode just described,

electrodes 4 and 5 are each placed at equal distances from the center 10 and are separated in the preferred embodi-. ment by a distance of approximately one third of ,the

length. A source 12 ofalternatingcurrentpotentials is shown, having it s t ermin als connected to; theinner elec trodes 4 and 5 at h junea psis na 14.v .1r;e c ni 1 q5 fling wires fronrthesource12 should bejrelatively fine'andj and serving to supply energy to the device 10 which is assumed to be of relatively high impedance. The source 12 applies a potential between the electrodes 4 and 5 which creates an electric field gradient between these electrodes. A property of a piezo-electric material is that upon'application of an electric field to the material in a direction parallel to the direction of polarization of the piezoelectric material, that a strain or physical deformation will occur parallel to the direction of the field. The strain will take the form of an extension or a contraction dewithin the central portion of the body 2.produces strains in the adjoining portions ofthe body 2. If the body 2 is chosento resonate in the fundamental mode generally I described above at the frequency if the applied potential,

5 Once the then the body 2 will beexcited to resonate as a unit, with greatly intensified stresses and strains; f a body 2 has been driven into a resonant conaccuses that a potential appears in a direction parallel to the direction of application of the stress. If the material is alternately stressed in a direction tending to cause alternate compression and extension, the potential appearing will be an alternating potential. Vibration of the piezo-electric body produces such periodic stresses throughout the body and by virtue of the reverse'piezo-electric propenties just described, a potential appears between the electrodes 6 and 7 situated at the ends of the body.

The theoretical description of transducer action set forth above is confirmed by experiment, and substantial voltages are observed to appear between the electrodes 6 and 7 when alternating potentials of proper frequency are applied between the electrodes 4 and 5. The voltages appearing at the electrodes 6 and 7 areof a substantially greater magnitude than the voltage applied by the source 12 and may be transformed from 5 to 20 times. The output voltage varies considerably with the distance of the electrodes 4 and 5 from the center 10. Positioning of the electrodes tends to change the transformation ratio between the output vlotage and the applied voltage, and when the electrodes 4 and 5 are neither close to the center nor close to the outer ends of the body 2, the transformation ratio increases as the electrodes 4 and 5 are brought closer together.

The theoretical development which follows generally supports experiment in predicting the order of the magnitude of the open circuit or lightly loaded transformation ratio of the transformer, and in predicting that the transformation ratio should vary inversely with the distance separating electrodes 4 and 5.

If one applies a static stress P to an elastic material the total elongation e produced will be proportional to the stress P, the length L and inversely proportional to Youngs modulus Y:

Likewise, it is known that application of a periodically varying stress having a maximum value P will occasion a maximum elongation e m at either end of a bar of length L which is proportional to the mechanical Q of the elastic material of the bar when resonance occurs. The expression for maximum elongation emL/z) when a longitudinal bar is vibrating at its fundamental mode is as follows:

4Q P L If the force is applied over a limited portion of an elongated member resonating at its fundamental mode, the elongation produced is reduced by a factor termed the S factor.- Let us assume that the force acts between the points X and X shown in Fig. 1, and let us designate the appripriate S factor as S1 The expression for maximum elongation under the application of periodic potentials over a portion of the longitudinal mern'ber then becomes:

- direction the subscript 1, the d constant may be desigthe driven region. voltages. produced within the region from nated du, the first subscript denoting the direction of the applied electric field, and the second direction in which the strain component is measured. Expressing the strain in terms of stress and Youngs modulus, the maximum t e m u er h influen e of a np tp en 1 then becomes:

P..=d..Y Substituting the value for the stress P obtained upon application of the potential V; into the Expression 1, the elongation emu) now becomes:

The complete expression for 78;; may be written as followsr 'll'Xg 1rX giving a final expression for maximum elongation:

Assuming that X equals minus X the expression simplifies to:

m(L/2) f 3% Sin The Expression 8 indicates the law by which the maximum elongation is related to a given applied voltage having a periodicityequal to the resonant frequency of a resonant bar andapplied over a'small portion thereof.

The elongation produced by the electric field results in a stressing of the piezo-electric member, and by virtue of the reverse piezo-electric properties of the piezo-electric body, the stresses arising occasion an inverse voltage to be produced in a longitudinal or X direction. The production of the output voltage will now be treated.

If one considers an elemental length dx experiencing an elongation de it will be seen that the elemental voltage dv produced will be proportional to the elemental elongation de Youngs modulus Y and g piezoelectric constant, which in this case is g since X directions are involved:

o= n x em(L/2) occurring at the ends of the body:

m(L/2) Sin L 0) Consequently, the voltage dv developed becomes:

' x x V d1) gl1Y6 m( z COS (11) The total voltage V produced is an integral of the elemental voltages dv Experiment tends to show that the contribution in output voltage between the electrodes at X and X may be neglected in most practical arrang e ments since the electrical impedance of the driving source is frequently such as to reduce the voltage'contribution of Upon integration of the elemental 7 and from +X2 X equalling 'X we obtain the following expression:

7 X m(r./2))yuY[1s1n Substituting the value for emm/z) obtained in Expression 8, and solving for the transformation ratio Vo/Vb we obtain:

Expression 13 indicates generally the factors influencing the transformation ratio 'of the configuration of piezoelectric transformer illustrated in Fig. 1, in which the piezo-electric body is continuously polarized and in which the piezo-electric body operates on a fundamental longitudinal mode of vibration under the driving influence of symmetrically placed input electrides applied at a distance X from the longitudinal center of the body. This expression isalso applicable to piezo-electric transformers having elongated bodies which are of other regular crosssections. The voltage transformation is seen to depend on the Q of the material, its direct and inverse piezoelectric constants and Youngs modulus. In addition it is seen that the transformation ratio depends on an expression involving the quotient of a sine function and a direct function of the driving electrode coordinate X Fig. 2 is a graph of the transformation ratio as a function of the X coordinate of X the abscissa being the ratio of X; to

L while the ordinate is the bracketed function:

-The line 19 of the graph illustrates that under the mathematical treatment so far discussed, the Expression 14 which is a factor in the expression for the transformation ratio, continuously decreases as the dimension X is increased. Had a continuous integration been taken, a similarly monotonically decreasing function would have been obtained. It may thus be seen that the transformation ratio is a function of the inner-electrode placement,

and that it generally increases as the inner electrodes are placed closer together.

. Referring now to Fig. 3, a piezoelectric transformer of somewhat difierent design is shown. At 20 is shown -a piezo-electric body of elongated'rectangular construction having a cross-section of substantially greater width than thickness. The body 29 is provided with two regions -21 and22-of dissimilar polarization; Arrows 23 indicate the direction of polarization of the firstregion 21 to be in 'a direction perpendicular to the long dimension of the body 20 and in the direction of the smallest dimension. Arrows 24 indicate the direction of polarization of the region 22 to be in a longitudinal direction. For convenience in describing the placement of the electrodes and the relative dimensions of the body 20, a rectangular coordinate axis' 25 is established below the body 20, and points along the longitudinal axis of the body 20 are projected thereon. The centerline of the body 20 is assigned a value X equal to zero,'while the left end of the body 20 is assigned a coordinate V p V L I and the right end a coordinate L p 2 L being the length of the body 20. V The central region 21 of the body 20 extends a direction X to the left of the center of the body 20 and a direction X to the right of the center X These distances are projected upon the line amass 8 25. Substantially co-extensive with the central region 21 is a first pair of electrodes 26 and 27 applied respectively to the wide faces of the body 20, in the drawing being the front and back faces of the body 20. These electrodes are provided with junctions 28 and 29 respectively, to which a source of alternating potentials 30 is connected. Output electrodes are shown at 31 and 32 applied respectively to the ends of the body 20 shown to the left and right in the drawing. Junctions for these electrodes are shown respectively at 33 and 34. Two additional electrodes 35 and 36 are applied to the surface of the body 20 encircling the body in a narrow band near the inner edges of the region 22, in the drawing shown to the left and .right of the center respectively. These electrodes are provided respectively with junctions 37 and 38, which may be electrically connected together. A load device 39 has itsterminals connected respectively to the junctions 33 and 34.

The arrangement in Fig. 3 is capable of considerably greater transformation ratios than the apparatus generally shown in Fig. 1, in some arrangements being as great as 100. The transformation ratio has been experimentally ascertained to depend upon the ratio of the total length to the thickness of the body 20 and it has also been determined. experimentally that the optimum width of the driving region 21 shouldbe approximately /3 the total length of the body 20.

In describing the operation of Fig. 3 it should be noted that the source 30 applies a field to the electrodes 26 and 27 at the junctions 28 and 29, the voltage producing a field transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body 20. The direction of the field is parallel to the direction 23 ofpolarization of the central region 21 of the body. Application of an'alternating potential between 28 and .29 consequently brings about an alteration in the thickness dimension of the body 20. This strain, by virtue of Poissons coupling within the material also produces a strain'in the longitudinal dimension of the body 20, and

by the method explained in detail with regard to the embodiment of Fig. 1 produces longitudinal mechanical vibration of the body 20. The vibration of the body 20 is accompanied by strains along the longitudinal axis, and

if the body 20 is chosen to resonate with an anti-node at either end in the fundamental mode at a frequency equal to the frequency of the applied potentials, then a periodic potential appears between the electrodes'3l and 32 applied to the body 20.- The electrode junctions furnish these potentials to the high impedance load device 39. I

The curve 40 illustrates the relative excursions in the longitudinal or X direction of various points along the longitudinal axis of the body 20 when the transformer operates at a fundamental mode under light loading. Both portions of the curve 40 are approximately sinusoidal.

Employing a mathematical solution similar to that ap- V plied to the embodiment of Fig. 1, the transformation ratio of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 may be found to be:

X is the coordinate of theright boundary of the region 7 21, the region 2 1-being centrally disposed along the An inspection of Expression 15 shows that the transversely polarized embodiment possesses a voltage transformation which is directly proportional to the ratio of the length to the thickness and that the transformation ratio is further affected by the width of the driving region in the following manner:

Fig. 4 illustrates the effect which varying widths of the driving region have on the transformation ratio, the ab scissa being the coordinate of boundary of the central region '21 and the ordinate'being the evaluation for the Expression 16. It will be seen that the Expression l6 attains a maximum value at a value of X equalling a conclusion which is borne out by experiment. In two constructions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, one embodiment having a central region of approximately one tenth the length was found to give an open circuit transformation ratio of 10 while a similar embodiment in which the central region Was approximately one third of the length was found to give an open circuit transformation ratio of 14.5, the maximum value attained by adjusting solely the ratio of X of the central region to the length L.

It may thus be seen that in both the configurations of Figs. 1 and 3, that a voltage transformation is achieved which is dependent upon electrode placement. Theoretically derived Expressions 14 and 16 generally indicate that the voltage transformation is dependent upon the product of three factors each never exceeding unit, and a first factor L/X or L/T, which may reach large values. This first factor indicates the upper limit of transformation in a step-up transformer if the factor X or 'T is varied. As may be observed, the Expression 14 cannot exceed 1r while the Expression 16 can increase without limit mathematically, although, practically, other factors enter, such as breakdown potentials, non-linearity of parameters at high fields and stresses and so forth. Experiments bear out these mathematical conclusions to the extent that the transversa-lly polarized embodiments are characterized by considerably higher transformation ratios. than continuously polarized embodiments.

The ratio L/X or L/T which affects the maximum transformation ratio, in accordanceiwith the invention,

is properly chosen for the attainment of high transformation ratios. This ratio in each of the embodiments defines the ratio of the distance between theinput electrodes and the output electrodes. It should be noted however that the mode of resonance employed in each of the embodiments establishes maximum vibrational excursions in a-longitudinal direction between the ends of the vibrating body. The outputelectrodes are placed to collect voltages arising along this line between points where maximum elongations and hence maximum voltages would be developed; either between both ends of the body or betweenone end and the center. The input electrodes, on the other hand, if'they'are oriented-to apply an electric field in the longitndinal direction, are

it? is that the electrodes be appropriately oriented with respect to the natural patterns of vibration which occur within the body. The requirement for electrode placement may be stated in several general ways. A simple statement of the rule would be that the output electrodes should be placed to span a portion of the vibration pattern experiencing a different mechanical excursion than the input electrodes. For maximum stepup transformations, the electrodes would be placed as required by Expressions 14 and 16. Since the stress pattern existing in the body is accompanied by an electric field pattern, the rule of electrode placement may be stated in terms of the electric field pattern. In electrical terms, the input and output electrodes should be oriented with respect to the electric field pattern such that the f total integrated potential arising between the input and output electrodes is dissimilar.

Another statement of the rule would be in terms of impedances at the regions of electrode placement. it is well known that a lever is a transformer of mechanical impedances, its property being to convert a large force acting at a small velocity to a small force acting at a large velocity, or vice versa. Since the difierent regions between the input and output electrodes experience different relative velocities, these electrodes may be said to be coupled through a lever or a mechanical transformer, and as in any transformer, they may be said to be coupled at differing impedance levels, a statement which is true both electrically and mechanically.

The piezo-electric body material employed in Figs. 1 and 3 is an aggregate of polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramic material principally composed of barium titanate and admixed with small quantities of materials which are used to control the physical characteristics of the material. The term "piezo-electric," in accordance with current usage has been applied to materials including both naturally piezo-electric materials and materials which become piezo-electric by suitable processing, and which are now called ferro-electrics. It should be noted that other materials having high Qs and high DGY-products could also be employed to advantage; Ferro-electric materials possess the advantage of permitting polarizations after the piezoelectric body has been formed. This permits advantageous local orientations of polarization in unitary piezo-electric bodies.

Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown an electromechanical transducer comprising a piece of piezoelectric material, indicated generally at 41, substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelopiped, and having a driving region 42 and a driven region 43. While a rectangular prism has been selected for illustrative placed tospan a portion of fthebody experiencing a smaller'overall physical excursion and hence spani a 'region ofa lower intrinsic voltage level if one considers the reverse piezo-electric'elfecfsJ If the electrodes are oriented toapply an electric field'in-a'*transverse"direcpurposes, the principles of the invention are equally applicable to piezoelectric materials of other geometries, such as for example, hollow tubing which has been properly polarized with regard to the electric field directions of the driving and driven regions respectively. This will become .more evident as the discussion proceeds. The driving and driven regions may be formed separately, and then fastened together by a suitable cement such as one of the epoxy resins; however, it is preferable that they bemade from a single piece of piezoelectric material as illustrated in Fig. 5. The opposite faces 44 of the driving region 42 .are covered with a metallic coating such as silver for example, to provide a pair of input terminals; one of' which is connected to ground at 45. In like manner, the end 46 of the driven I region 43 remote from the driven region is similarly coated with silver to provide anoutput terminal for the transducer; the other output terminal being the common ground at 45. The device is energized by a source of al- -ternatin'g current as shown at 47.

electric t :era n'iic barium titana te ,which has "been 7 sava es made piezo-electric by applying a high electrical polarizing field as the ceramic is cooled down through its Curie temperature. For barium titanate (BaTi the Curie temperature is about 120 centrigrade. Other materials such as niobates (colombates) for example may also be successfully utilized. At this point it should be understood that the invention is applicable to materials. which are either naturally piezo-electric or which can be made so by proper processing.

As will be seen from a study of Fig. 5, the driving region 42, is prepolarized in the transverse or Z-axis direction as indicated by the arrows at 48, while the driven region is prepolarized in the longitudinal or X- axis direction as shown by the arrows at 49. The material so prepared possesses the Well known pressure-electrical reversible effects shared by certain other materials known as piezo-electrics.

In the operation of the transducer disclosed in Fig. 5, an alternating current from source 47 is applied to the driving region 42 and an amplified voltage output is delivered at the output end. Thus it will be seen that the device functions as a step-up transformer. However, if a stepdown voltage ratio or step-up current ratio is desired, all that needs be done is to interchange the input and output ends from the respective positions shown in Fig. 5. Thus region 43 now becomes the driving area and region 42 the driven region.

In each embodiment, step-up voltage transformer action is illustrated; but by electrically reversing the input and output leads, the step-down voltage transformer action may be obtained. Before proceeding with a detailed description of the devices shown in Figs. 6 and 7, an explanation will be given concerning the theoretical considerations underlying the transformer phenomena exhibited by all these embodiments.

The piezo-electric material utilized in the transformer 'has a natural or mechanical frequency which is a function of the velocity of sound in the material and of the wavelength measured in the direction of the propagation of the sound. Expressed mathematically:

where: V

j=the natural frequency in cycles per second In order to obtain maximum output voltage in Fig- 5, the driver and driven element lengths should be in a 1:1 ratio, with the overall length L, measured in the direction in which the output is to be derived, adjusted to establish a half wavelength at the driven or natural frequency.

The devices shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6 are driven-at 'the fundamental mode of resonance, with the length In the transformer which will shortly be described in connection with Fig. 7, the piezo-electric I member is -fixed at one end and fundamental resonance occurs at g A v V V r- I 1 7 A second condition for voltage output requires that electrical frequency of the applied alternating current be made equal to the natural or mechanical, frequency of 70' the material. 'Stated differently, the frequency of the sourc'eisfthat which is required to make the over-all. length L equal tonne-half the acoustical wayelength at t the natural orv acoustical frequency qf lhibarium'titanate. When the transformer is energize 12 voltage applied causes mechanical resonance of the barium titanate. The compressional wave initiated by the electrical field travels back and forth between the input electrodes of the barium titanate, reinforced at the completion of each cycle of travel by an in phase recurrence of the electrical field that set it in motion. At resonance the amplitude of the mechanical vibrations is considerably increased.

At frequencies below resonance the most notable dimensional change takes place in the Z-direction, but because of mechanical coupling, simultaneous compression and expansion is also experienced in the X- and Y- directions. However, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, only the deformation in the X direction is utilized to obtain the output voltage. Strong lengthwise (X-axis) mechanical resonance occurs, and the driven region 43 has induced in it, standing wave patterns of stress, strain and displacement. Maximum stress and strain take place at the center of the piece, while maximum displacement takes place at the respective ends thereof. By the reverse piezo-electric effect (i.e. mechanical to electrical) the resulting internal stress produces a separation of charges throughout the length of the material, the cumulative effect resulting in a large over-all amplification. The output voltage is proportional to the maximum displacement at the end, which in turn is proportional to the ratio of the length L to the thickness T, and to the over-all Q of the piece.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 6. Essentially, this transformer consists of a hollow tube of ceramic material, for example, barium titanate,

suitably prepolarized as will be presently explained. The

shown by the arrows 51. The inner and outer surfaces of the driving element 50 are covered with a metallic coating 52 such as silver or the like. The driven elements 53 are fixedly secured to the ends of the driver element,

was by cementing; each of the driven elements 53 is ,pre-

. polarized axially as shown by the arrows at 54. The

d, the alternating C=the velocity of sound in the outer or free ends of driven elements 53 are each provided with metallic rings 55 which constitute the output electrodes for the transformer. A source of I potentials is shown at 56 having its terminal connected to the inner and outer metallic coatings 52. As stated previously in connection with the foregoing embodiment,

. the over-all length L is a half-wave length at the natural frequency of the entire ceramic tubing. For maximum voltage output, the length of the driving element is in the ratio of 1:3 with respect to the over-all length of the transformer.

The operation of the transformer is very similar to that described in connection with the Fig. 5 embodiment. ,The element 42 acts as an electro-mechanical driver so that compression and expansion in the axial direction, by virtue of the mechanical coupling by the driver and the driven elements, istransferred to the output ends which develop a high voltage when the entire tubing is driven at the resonant frequency.

Another'variation of the invention is shown in the transformer depicted in Fig. 7. A hollow piece of ceramic material 57 is prepolarized axially in the direction indicated at 58. 'At one end of the tubing, there is a metallic support or mass 59.' Iii-order to insure optimum performance, thematerial selected for the support 59 7 should have a low mechanical loss. In addition, the material selected should have an impedance C, much larger than that ofthe barium titanate so that almost total reflection occurs at the junction of the barium titanate and the mass 59 -where:

p="the density of material Alternately, a material of low mechanical loss may be chosen-whichis M 4 long acoustically making'thefoverall length ofthe transducer V2 acoustically.

The outer or open end of the tubing is provided'with ;a metallic ring'60 whichserves as one output terminal .for the device. 'The transformer is driven through a pair of metallic rings '61, ez positioned on the outer circumference of the tubing and coupled to the source 63. The ring .62 serves as the other output terminal for the device.

Referring now to Fig. 8 there is shown'a further embodiment of the present invention. A thin disc of piezoelectric material is shown at 64' having a central region 65 "of acylindrical shape which is polarized in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the disc, and an annular region ;66 surrounding the central region 65, in which the piezo-electric material is polarized in an axial direction. Arrows 67 indicate the direction ofpolarization of the central region 65 while the arrows68 indicate the direction of polarization of theannular region 66. A discshaped electrode 69 is appliedto the upper surface of the transformer 64, .having a diameter equal to the diameter .of the central region 65. Opposing the electrode 69 is a second electrode 70 of equal diameter applied to the under surface of the disc. A third electrode 71 is applied to the peripheral edge of the disc. A source of alternating current potentials is shown at 72 having its terminalsconnected respectively to electrode 69 andelectrode 7,0. A load device 73 is shown coupled .between electrode 71 and electrode 70.

The arrangement of Fig. 8 operates on a radial mode .of vibration, .employing a driving region transversely polarized with respect to-the output region to achieve a substantial voltage step-up. Application of alternating current potentials from the source 72 tofthe electrodes 69 and '70 creates an electrical field in the'central region 65 of thetransformer in a direction parallel to the direction of polarizationshown by the arrows 67. The ap plication of these potentials, byVirtue' of the piezo-electric properties of'the body, causes a-variation inthe thickness dimensionof the central portionI65, and by virtue of Poisson coupling, occasions a corresponding extension of the central region 65 in a radial direction. The radial extensions and contractions. of the-central region 65 are then transmitted to the annular region 66 thereby tending to cause this region to expand and contract ina generally radial manner. The physical dimensions of the transformer .64 are chosen so that the body tends to be resonant at the desired frequency of operation. Since the annular region is polarized in a radial direction, a radial extension of .the annular region 66 causesperiodic radial strains in the workpiece, and the resultant radially developed voltage to be derived by the electrodes 71 and 70. In a device constructed in-the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, in which the diameter of the piezo-electric body was one inch, the diameter of thehub region was approximately halfan inch, and the thickness was approximately 2 of an inch, a resonant frequency of 331 kilocycles was obtained. Operating in an unloaded condition, a maximum voltage gain of 25 was obtained.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 9. In Fig.9 the piezo-electric'body 74 is of annular configuration, being divided into two approximately semicircular regions. In the driving region 75, the body is polarized in a direction parallel to the axis of the annulus, the arrows 76 indicating the direction of polarization. In the output region 77, the body 74 is polarized in opposing tangential directions, the arrows 78 indicating the directions of polarization. Input electrodes 79 and 80 are applied respectively to the upper and lower surfaces .ofthe region 75. An voutputelectrodecooperating with -14 surface of the annular body74. A source 82..is coupled betweenth'e electrodes 79"an'd 8tl,'aloaddevi ce83'is cou- 'pled between theelectro'des' 81 and 80.

The arrangement of Fig.9 operates in what mightbe termed a tangential mode of vibration, the application of potentials to the input electrodes 79 and 80 occasioning, by virtue of Poisson coupling, an increase in the average radius of the 'body'74 and concommittent therewith a change inthe circumference and radius ofthe annulus. The variation in circumference of the body 74 inthe driving region occasions similar stresses and resultant strains in the output region 77. The electrodes 81 and then develop a voltage in the presenceof the tangential components of these strains.

Fig. '10 illustrates an embodiment in which somewhat lower frequency operation can be'obtained for a given size piezo-electric body. The body 84 is of a broken ring configuration, divided approximately evenly into "a semicircular driving rcgion85 and a semi-circular output region 86. In the driving region 85, the piezo-electric body ispolarized in a plane perpendicular to the upper surface of the washer as indicated by the "arrows 87. Electrodes 88 and 89 are applied upon the upper and lower surface of'the workpiece 84, co-extensive with the region .85 of vertical polarization. The region 86 is polarized in a circumferential direction indicated generally bythe arrow 90. A third electrode 91 is applied tothe surface of the region 86 abutting the gap. A source 92.0f alternating current potentials is then coupled to the electrodes 88 and 89, while a load device 93-is coupled between the electrodes 88 and 89.

A device constructed with .a configuration shownin Fig. 10 was found to have a principal resonant frequency of-.57 kilocycles, at which frequency a maximum voltage transformation of- 8 was achieved. Thebody 84 had an outer diameter-of approximately l% inches, an inner .diameter of 1- /8 inches,'and a gap of one-half inch. A cross sectionof a branchof thelwasher was approximately 1A3 1/8. 7

In manyofthe embodiments the device has been illustrated as an auto transformer, the-driven element constituting the primary, while the output is the secondary. However, it shouldbe madeclear that in these cases full transformer 'action is possible by the use of suitably .positioned auxiliary electrodes. v

'Whilecertain specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will, of course, be understood that various other modifications may yet be devised by those skilled *in'the art which will embody the principles of the invention and found in the true spirit and scope thereof.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of thelUnited States is: v Y

1. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a piezo-electric body having throughout the resonant region, and second electrode means forabstrac'ting energy from said body applied to a second region of said body embracing an integral of electric .gradient different from the integral of electric gradient embraced by said first electrode means.

2. In an electric energy transfer device, having a substantial transformation ratio, a piezo-elec'tric body-having ;a resonant mode at a predeterminedfrequency, driving electrode means associated with said body at a region characterized by'a first driving impedance at said fre-:

quency and piezo-electrically coupled to said region, and take- 01f electrode means associated with said body at a regioncharacterized by a passiveimpedance at said frequency. ditferentffrom said d I .1 electrically coupled to said latter. region.

.- 3. InFau electrical energy transferfdevice hav riving impedance and piezpv i said body is'of tubular shape.

, chanical vibration amplitude in the region subjected to the driving electric field.

4. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a body of piezo-electric material having a resonant mode of vibration at a predetermined frequency, input electrode means applied to a .portion of said body and piezo-eleotrically coupled thereto adapted to establish a resonant vibration pattern in said body when energized by potentials of said predetermined frequency, and output electrode means applied to said body piezo-eleotrically coupled to a region of said body lying within a portion of said resonant vibration pattern experiencing a different periodic extension from the portion across which said input electrode'means are coupled.

5, In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a body of piezo-eleotric ma terial having a resonant mode of vibration at a predetermined frequency, first electrode means applied to said body and piezo-electrically coupled to a region of said body, said electrode means being adapted to establish a resonant vibration pattern in said body when energized by potentials of said predetermined frequency, and-second electrode means applied to said body piezo-electrically coupled to a second region thereof along a line in said vibration pattern experiencing a different periodic extension from the line along which said first electrode means are coupled.

6. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a body of piezo-electric material having a resonant mode of vibration at a predetermined frequency, input electrode means piezo-electrically coupled to said body along an axis of polarization thereof and adapted to establish a resonant vibration pattern in' said body when energized by potentials of said predetermined frequency and output electrode means-piezo-electrically coupled to said body along an axis of polarization thereof and'adapted to derive output potentials accompanying said vibration pattern, said input and output electrodes spanning respective dimensions of said vibration pattern experiencing different relative maximum extensions.

7. In an electrical energy transfer device, a body of piezo-electric material polarized for substantially the length of its major axis and adapted to resonate at a predetermined frequency in a mode of vibration along said major axis with anti-nodal regions at both'ends, first electrode means applied respectively in the anti-nodal. regions at both of said ends and second electrode means applied at equal distances from the center of said body said major axis with an anti-nodal region at one end and a nodal region at the other end, andthree electrodes apf plied to said body respectively in the anti-nodal region at said anti-nodal end, at said nodal end, and at an in.- termediate position measured along said major axis, two of said electrodes being adapted to excite said body to resonance along said majorvaxis under the influence of applied potentials of said predetermined frequency and two of said electrodes being adapted to derive output potentials from the vibrations arising in said body.

10. In the combination according to claim 9, wherein the electrode common to said first two and said second two electrodes is said electrode applied at said .nodal region.

11. In an electrical energy transfer device, an elongated body of piezoelectric material polarized for sub stantially the length of said body along its major axis and adapted to resonate mechanically at a predetermined frequency in a longitudinal mode with a nodal region in one portion of said body and an anti-nodal region in an other portion of said body adjacent said one portion, first electrode means piezoelectrically coupled along said axis of polarization to said one portion, second electrode means piezoelectrically coupled along said axis of polarization to a region embracing at least said other portion, one of said electrode means being adapted to excite said body to mechanical resonance under theinfiuence'of applied potentials of said predetermined frequency, and the other of said electrode means being adapted to derive output potentials from the mechanical vibrations resulting therefrom. V

l2 'The arrangement set forth inclaim 11 wherein said body is of an artificially piezoelectrical material.

13. The arrangement set forth in claim 11 wherein said second electrode means embraces substantially the total length of said body. a

14. In an electrical energy transfer device exhibiting a substantial transformation ratio, a piezoelectric body having predetermined polarization adapted to mechanically resonate at .a predetermined frequency witha. nodal region in one portion of said body and at least one antinodal region in another portion 'of said body, adjacent said one portion, first electrode'means piezoelectrically coupled in the direction of polarization to said one portion, second electrode means piezoelectrically coupled in the direction of polarization to said second portion,. one of said electrode means being adapted to excite said body to mechanical resonance under the influence of ap measured along said major axis, both said electrode means acting in a direction parallel to said major axis, one of said electrode means being adapted to excite said body to resonance along said major axisunder the influence of applied potentials of said predetermined frequency and the otherrof said electrode means being adapted to derive output potentials from the vibrations resulting there from. 8. In the combination accordingto claim 7, wherein I an electrical energy transfer' device, a 'body o f piezoelectric material polarized for substantially length of major axis 'andadaptedlto resonate at a predetermined'frequency in a mode of vibration along plied potentials of said predetermined frequency and the other ofsaid electrode means beingadapted to derive output 'potentials'from the mechanical vibrations resulting therefrom. V 15. The. arrangement set forth in claim. 14 wherein said body is of an artificially piezoelectric material.

16. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformationratio, a'piezoclectric body of predetermined polarization and simple geometrical configuration having a resonant mode of mechanical vibration at a predetermined frequency characterized by nodal and Fanti-nodalregions, first electrode means for impressingla periodic field over aportion of said body, said field being applied in the direction ofpolarization to said portion and the period vof saidfield corresponding substantially to' fsaidfrequency so as to cause mechanical res nance. throughout said body accompanied by an elec- 'tricalfield, and second electrode means coupled in the direction of polarization to a second portion of said 7' and extending to saidnodal'region.

p 17. Inan electrical energy transfer device having {a substantial transformation "ratio, a piezoelectric body of predetermined polarization and simple configuration having a resonant mode of mechanical vibration at a predetermined frequency, first electrode means embracing said body for impressing a periodic electrical field over a portion of said body, said field being applied in the direction of polarization to said portion and the period of said field corresponding substantially to said frequency so as to cause mechanical resonance throughout said body accompanied by an electrical field, and second electrode means embracing said body for deriving an electric output potential couplied in the direction of polarization to a second portion of said body, said second electrode means embracing a portion of said body characterized by a substantially diiferent periodic extension measured in the direction of polarization thereof when said body is in me chanical resonance in said mode than the portion which said first electrode means embrace.

18. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a piezoelectric body of predetermined polarization having a resonant mode of mechanical vibration at a predetermined frequency characterized by nodal and anti-nodal regions, first electrode means for impressing a periodic electrical field over a portion of said body, said field being applied in the direction of polarization to said portion and the period of said field corresponding substantially to said frequency so as to cause mechanical resonance throughout said body accompanied by an electrical field, and second electrode means coupled in the direction'of polarization to a second portion of said body, one portion embraced by one of said electrode means being largely in said nodal region, and the other portion embraced by the other of said electrode means including at least an anti-nodal region and extending to said nodal region.

19. In an electrical energy transfer device having a substantial transformation ratio, a piezoelectric body having a resonant mode of mechanical vibration at a pre- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,803,803 Jonker Aug. 20, 1957 2,830,274 Rmen Apr. 8, 1958 2,886,787 Broadhead May 12, 1959 

